Infrared Classification of Galactic Objects

Abstract

Unbiased analysis shows that IRAS data reliably differentiate between the early and late stages of stellar evolution because objects at these stages clearly segregate in infrared color-color diagrams. Structure in these diagrams is primarily controlled by the density distribution of circumstellar dust. The density profile around older objects is the steepest, declining as $r^{-2}$, while young objects have profiles that vary as $r^{-3/2}$ and flatter. The different density profiles reflect the different dynamics that govern the different environments. Our analysis also shows that high mass star formation is strongly concentrated within \about 5 kpc around the Galactic center, in support of other studies.

11 pages, 3 Postscript figures (included), uses aaspp4.sty. To appear in Astrophysical Journal Letters

References in corpus (2)

• User Manual for DUSTY
• Dust Emission from Herbig Ae/Be stars - Evidence for Disks and Envelopes

Cited by in corpus (7)

• Color Separation of Galaxy Types in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Imaging Data
• Solar System Objects Observed in the SDSS Commissioning Data
• Deep Mid-Infrared Silicate Absorption as a Diagnostic of Obscuring Geometry Toward Galactic Nuclei
• The meaning of WISE colours - I. The Galaxy and its satellites
• The Galactic Distribution of Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars
• Infrared Colors and Variability of Evolved Stars from COBE DIRBE Data
• Analysis of Stars Common to the IRAS and HIPPARCOS Surveys